It's Bad- corporations shape childhood in destructive ways- Kid is incompetent/innocentChildren are passive recipients of market forcesIt's not so Bad- kids can be actors in consumer culture, and appropriate it for their own usenot any more affected by consumer culture than adults

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Money spent on marketing to kids

1983-100 million2009- 17 billionNow extremely niche specific-ads used with younger kidsmarketing happens in all aspects of kids lives not just TV

too many ads towards kidsdislike you have to buy certain things to be cooltoo much importance on buying thingsagree that they spend too much time asking parents for stuff than doing fun stuffsays ads create problem btw kids and parents

Is it harmful

Yes according to Juliet SchorKids w/higher rank in involvement in consumerism also have lower levels of well-beingMore depression/anxietyCorrelation v Causation

Economy of Dignity, of Care

Allison Pugha system through which kids make themselves present, heard, and matter to peers---a way to belongEmerge from schools, neighborhoods,, after-school programs

Role of kids in COnsumption (Pugh)

Kids are creative, active, innovators of consumer cultureKids do more than just absorb it as it isKids invent own culture

Both rich and poor families use consumption to help their kids navigate in the economy of dignity

they use symbolic deprivation and indulgence

Symbolic Deprivation

a strategy for managing contradictions btwe beliefs and practice btw ideals and material resourcesnot getting something even when resources are available---TO symbolize good parentingrich families, conformity as bad, difference as good

Symbolic Indulgence

a strategy for managing children's wants in the economy of dignity with few resources and memories of the pain of navigating the economy of dignity---give a few key things so kid can belong-----low income -limiting children's expectations-buy the highest symbolic value -planning required

Pugh's argument

Kids interest in consumption is not about envy or status seeking behavior, but about esteem/belongingNot about "Keeping up with the Jones" or besting them but Belonging